Wal-Mart Stores backing away from Organics?

A year ago last March Wal-Mart surprised consumers with the announcement that they were making a major push to increase their commitment to organic foods.

Stephen Quinn, a top marketing executive, told investors at a conference that the company would double the number of organic food items in its stores to 400 and offer them "at the Wal-Mart price" But now Karen Burk, a spokeswoman for the company, says that the majority of Wal-Mart stores are offering between 100 and 200 organic food items.

What is behind the shift is strategy on organic foods? Was it that Wal-Mart grocery shoppers were not willing to pay the higher prices that organic foods command or was it supplier issues? From the various stories floating around it looks like Wal-Mart had mis-judged the organic food sector on multiple levels.

Read more: Business Week